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Column: Wrigley Field’s drawing power means the Chicago Cubs need only the illusion of contending

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

Back in the opening week of the 2006 season, in a Chicago Tribune article accompanied by cartoonist Rick Tuma’s illustrations, I offered some predictions of what a Wrigley Field experience would be like 20 years in the future.“No one knows what Wrigley Field or the Cubs will look like 20 years from now,” I wrote. “But at this rate there will be far fewer day games, bleacher tickets will cost $400 and the manager still will be barking about his players’ fundamentals.”The 2006 Cubs were 98 years into the franchise’s famous World Series drought and entering the final year of the Andy MacPhail era, which began with the ill-advised marketing slogan “We’re Working On It” and ended with the dismissal of Dusty Baker.Though three years remain until 2026, I’ve given up on most of my predictions, some of which were purposely silly, such as “rent-a-glove booths” for fans and a section of the right-field bleachers offi...

Tax cuts required to compete, Healey says in urging lawmakers to take up her plan

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

The state needs to move forward with a tax cut package this year if lawmakers hope to keep the commonwealth competitive, Gov. Maura Healey said in Andover on Monday.“I think the three tenants of our administration have been affordability, competitiveness, and equity,” she said. “It is really important we get tax relief for our competitive advantage and for making life more affordable for more people around the state.”Speaking shortly after announcing millions in workforce development grants aimed at helping the state’s employers find skilled talent from within the Commonwealth, Healey was responding to a question about a weekend television appearance by House Speaker Ron Mariano, in which the latter seemed to express concern over the fate of a proposed cut to the short term capital gains tax rate.A plan to slash the tax from 12% to 5%, bringing Massachusetts more in line with surrounding states, was included in tax reform proposals offered by the House and the governor.However the p...

Touchdown!

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

The Boston Bengals picked up the team’s $15,000 Hail Mary from philanthropist Ernie Boch Jr. Monday at Suburu of New England in Norwood. The team will now be able to resume the season after all seemed lost because their home field, Roxbury’s Clifford Park, had been littered by Mass & Cass denizens.Clifford Park is home to the Boston Bengals Pop Warner team. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) July 17, 2023

Influential Nashville music producer Jerry Bradley, who signed Alabama and Ronnie Milsap, has died

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville music executive Jerry Bradley, who signed Alabama and Ronnie Milsap and helped brand the outlaws style of country music during a 40-year career, died Monday. He was 83. Bradley died peacefully in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, according to an obituary released by his family.Bradley began his career in the 1960s, working in his family’s music publishing business alongside his famous producer father, Owen Bradley. As an engineer, his clients included Loretta Lynn, Dinah Shore, Gordon Lightfoot and The Who, according to the obituary.Bradley struck out on his own in 1970, joining RCA Records under Chet Atkins before taking over as head of the label’s Nashville branch from 1973-1983. That is where he signed Alabama and Milsap. He helped market the outlaws of country music in a platinum-selling album called “Wanted: The Outlaws.” Under his leadership, the careers of Dolly Parton and Charley Pride flourished. After leaving RCA, Bradley ran the Opryland...

CP NewsAlert: BC Coroner issues safety alert over wildfire smoke after child’s death

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

VICTORIA — British Columbia’s coroner has issued a public safety bulletin about wildfire smoke as it confirmed a nine-year-old boy died from a medical condition aggravated by the smoke. The service says the sudden and unexpected death of Carter Vigh of 100 Mile House is a heartbreaking loss for his family and the community. The B.C. government says in a statement that the grieving parents who lost their son say he died after a severe asthma attack, made worse by wildfire smoke that has enveloped many areas of the province. It says the boy’s mother, Amber Vigh, said Carter died in an emergency room last Tuesday. There are more than 370 wildfires burning in the province and air-quality alerts from wildfire smoke cover a large section of the province. The BC Coroners Service says in a statement that as the province experiences greater impacts from the effects of climate change, residents are learning more about the risks associated with wildfire smoke, extreme heat and othe...

No injuries as jetliner’s evacuation slide falls in Chicago neighborhood near O’Hare, officials say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — An emergency evacuation slide fell from an airliner Monday and landed in the backyard of a home near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, causing no injuries but damaging a roof, officials and witnesses said. The Federal Aviation Administration said a United Airlines Boeing 767 had landed safely at O’Hare on Monday on arrival from Switzerland when maintenance workers realized an emergency slide was missing from the plane’s side. The aircraft was carrying 155 passengers and 10 crew.WLS-TV reported that Patrick Devitt was not home at the time but his son and father-in-law were present and heard a “boom” shortly after noon. Devitt dragged the slide from his backyard to the front. He said the slide hit part of the house, damaging the roof, downspout and a window screen.“When it’s all stretched out, like it’s a little jumbled up I’m sure in the picture from when we dragged it out, it’s larger than a small car. It’s a very, very big piece of equip...

Minnesota mayor faces pressure to resign or meet LGBTQ+ group’s demands after his comments on Pride

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

OWATONNA, Minn. (AP) — Members of an LGBTQ+ group are calling on the mayor of a southern Minnesota city to meet their demands — or resign — after he asked pastors at a church holding a Pride event if there would be stripper poles in the sanctuary and posted a public prayer alluding to “sin and brokenness” at the event.In an open letter to Mayor Tom Kuntz, a Republican, and the Owatonna City Council, Rainbowatonna organizer Nathan Black said Kuntz used his elected position to harass and intimidate people involved in the city’s Pride celebration on July 8, the Star Tribune reported. The Pride celebration included a service at Associated Church, festivities at a pavilion and a drag show after-party at the Owatonna Arts Center. In his public letter, Black said Kuntz spoke to pastors at the church about two weeks before the service. He said the mayor appeared to be upset and asked several “bizarre” questions, including whether there would be stripper poles in the sanctuary. Black s...

Florida family accused of selling fake COVID-19 cure through online church goes on trial in Miami

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — A Florida family accused of selling a toxic industrial bleach as a fake COVID-19 cure through their online church is on trial this week in Miami.Mark Grenon, 65, and his sons, 37-year-old Jonathan, 35-year-old Joseph and 29-year-old Jordan, are all charged with conspiring to defraud the United States and deliver misbranded drugs, according to court records. The Grenons are representing themselves but declined to make opening statements as the trial began Monday, the Miami Herald reported. They have pleaded not guilty.Prosecutors called the Grenons “con men” and “snake-oil salesmen” and said the Bradenton family’s Genesis II Church of Health and Healing sold $1 million worth of their so-called Miracle Mineral Solution. In videos, it was pitched as a purported cure for 95% of known diseases, including COVID-19, Alzheimer’s, autism, brain cancer, HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis, prosecutors said.What the Grenons were selling was actually chlorine dioxide, officials s...

Stores see increase in ticket sales ahead of estimated $900 million Powerball jackpot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

ST. JOSEPH. Mo. (AP) — The Powerball jackpot estimated at $900 million heading into Monday night’s drawing — the third biggest Powerball jackpot and the seventh largest in U.S. lottery history — was luring more hopeful ticket buyers into shops. Debbie Kempf, store director at Cosentino’s Price Chopper in St. Joseph, Missouri, said the store sees an increase in sales as the jackpot gets bigger.“As it grows and the hype increases, you know, everyone gets kind of excited. So that’s where you get all those people who don’t generally buy tickets think, ‘Why not? Why not me?’” Kempf said, adding that she also sees “your regulars” who buy tickets every week but may buy a few more as the jackpot increases.“Sometimes you’ll see groups of people or families go together and pool their money and to purchase a larger amount — you know, more opportunity,” she said.Ticket buyers for Monday’s drawing have a chance at either $900 million paid out in yearly increments or a $465.1 million, one-t...

Russian fighter jets fly dangerously close to US warplane over Syria

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:15 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Russian fighter jet flew very close to a U.S. surveillance aircraft over Syria, forcing it to go through the turbulent wake and putting the lives of the four American crew members in danger, U.S. officials said Monday.The officials said the incident, which happened just before noon EDT on Sunday, was a significant escalation in what has been a string of encounters between U.S. and Russian aircraft in Syria in recent weeks. The intercept by the Russian Su-35 impeded the U.S. crew’s ability to safely operate their MC-12 aircraft, the officials said, calling it a new level of unsafe behavior that could result in an accident or loss of life. In recent weeks, Russian fighter jets have repeatedly harassed U.S. unmanned MQ-9 drones, but the latest incident raised alarms because it endangered American lives.The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of a military operation, would not say how close the Russian jet got to the U.S. warplane. The M...